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New York is a busy place, but it’s the wrong kind of busy in The Division because of the virus outbreak. The Division factions are dangerous and have their own unique set of motives, and none of them are concurrent to yours.

The Division Factions

Thankfully, it’s not all gloomy – there are some (albeit very few) friendly faces that you’ll meet in the game. This guide will familiarize you with all The Division Factions, and will provide general tactics, information, and countering methods against enemy factions as well.

Friendlies

New York may be in peril with a pandemic, but it doesn’t mean it’s turned into deserted place. You’ll find plenty of friendlies in The Division, who will fit in one of the two categories:

Citizens
New York wouldn’t be itself without its citizens. Although it’s not densely populated, there are still many citizens you can meet all over Manhattan. These citizens will demand help from you, and will occupy Safe Houses as well as your Base of Operations if you decide to aid them.

You’ll sometimes come across survivors on the streets who will ask for your help, either in the form of food or medical aid. If you give it to them, they may give you weapons and even weapon-skins or cosmetic items as a token of gratitude.

Joint Task Force
The Joint Task Force or JTF is the biggest asset you have in New York. These personnel arrived at Manhattan to establish law and order, but have been pushed to the corner by the various hostile factions that now occupy New York.

The JTF largely comprises of the National Guard, police and fire services, and medical personnel. You’ll come across many JTF personnel in the streets, either combating gangs and oppressive factions or guarding secured basis.

The JTF put their faith in the members of The Division to lead the way in restoring New York to its former glory, therefore you’re strongly encouraged to aid them whenever possible, but it by protecting supply drops or assisting them in missions.

Hostile Factions

There are fewer friends than there are enemies in New York, and that’s exactly why The Division was sent to the city. There are four hostile factions in the game. Each faction has its own set of preferred weapons, unique tactics, and difficulty.

The Rioters
Rioters are basically thugs and outlaws who decided to take use of the pandemic. These lawless criminals occupy the streets of New York, looting any bypasser they find and assaulting anyone they please.

Rioters primarily use melee weapons and handguns, though some of them will have hands on shotguns and assault rifles. They have no real tactics or organization, which makes them rather easy to deal with.

They tend to storm your position to attack you head on, so it’s easy to flank them with a team and take them out from cover.

The Cleaners
The Cleaners decided that it was up to them to cleanse New York, but they went about the task in a brutal manner. The Cleaners burn and execute anyone even remotely suspected to be sick without hesitation or remorse. They are especially attracted to areas of high contagion.

Cleaners use flamethrowers and submachine guns, and are distinct for their gas masks and hazmat suits. They are a roaming faction, and are extremely aggressive in their tactics, attempting to close down space and hit you hard.

The flamethrower personnel are especially ruthless. Try to set up a flank on flamethrower wielders and shoot the big napalm tank on their back. This is a sure and guaranteed way to take out the biggest threat.

The Rikers
This destructive, ruthless criminal faction has occupied large parts of Manhattan as a result of an organized prison break from Riker’s Island. They rule like kings in a lawless city, and their primary objective is to enact revenge on authorities, killing anyone in a uniform.

The Rikers are veteran criminals that have fought many battles. They prefer using close-ranged weapons like shoguns and submachineguns. They execute well-coordinated and extremely aggressive tactics, often flanking players and rushing towards your team.

Make sure at least one teammate is watching the flanks when facing Rikers. It is best to engage Rikers from a distance because of their limited-ranged weapons.

Last Man Battalion
The Last Man Battalion was a military unit that returned from Afghanistan to take control of New York. However, in their effort to save the city, they were left trapped far from home in the worst area of the pandemic when the power failed and the government turned a deaf ear towards their transfer request.

Now, they work under the command of their leader Colonel Charles Bliss as a mutineer group of highly trained veteran military soldiers who impose order with an iron fist. They act as a private military company hired by Wall Street companies to protect assets during the outbreak in any manner possible.

The LMB is the most well-equipped, most organized, and hardest faction to face in the game.

As military veterans, their skills, coordination, and tactics can match yours easily. They deploy tanks, snipers, and other aggressive heavy resistance against anyone who dares to oppose them, and also anyone from the military.

You will need not only your best gear to take out the LMB, but also your bet coordination. LMB squads will attack with extreme precision and efficiency and heavy firepower, so make sure you come up with tactics and equipment that can match theirs.